An excellent hunter must always possess extraordinary patience.
Yike has encountered excessive bans, industry lawsuits, and copyright owners' disregard in the United States. Under such circumstances, it is natural to be regarded as prey when it comes into contact with Sony Music.
Suppressing valuations, suppressing prices, and talking about intervention. Sony Music's toughness is not only reflected in the previous "if we don't talk about equity, we will stop here", but also in various conditions.
Sony Music, led by Stringer, is trying to seize this little white rabbit from the East through its peers, Yike's competitors, and Fang Zhuo's ambition to change the music industry.
Stringer is very patient and able to keep his composure.
He once caused President Yike to fall into self-doubt of poor judgment.
Sony Music is really that calm?
Did Sony Music see through its own plans?
Sony Music, like its parent company, has been slow to respond to developments in digital music?
Are record giants like Sony Music really willing to give up their bargaining power to an industry entrant?
Fang Zhuo had various thoughts flashing through his mind while waiting.
The resumption of acquisition negotiations using Apple is a tug-of-war for him and Stringer, as well as for Sony Music and Yike.
Both hunters were silently observing the performance of their prey and waited patiently until the last moment.
Then, only one hunter has the last laugh.
“Mr. Fang, I will go to HKUST when I return to China.”
Yike and his team left Apple. Marketing Director Yu Hong was in the car with her boss and let out a long sigh.
Fang Zhuo Daqi: “What do you mean?”
"Write your competitive methods into the case this time." Yu Hong said, "I thought it would be ineffective this time. Now it seems that Sony Music is really paying close attention to our movements and waited until this time to start the fight.
The phone, Stringer is so patient, but still no better than you!"
Fang Zhuo smiled, this little Yu, why does this little Yu speak so beautifully?
“Xiao Yu, if you want to go back to HKUST to provide a case, you must remember to compare it with another case.”
Yu Hong asked curiously: "Which one?"
"In October last year, 'Under the Banyan Tree' negotiated with Germany's Bertelsmann to acquire shares. The German company's initial asking price was 10 million." Fang Zhuo slowly recounted what happened last year, "However, when we were talking about taking a break, Bei
Someone from Tasman went downstairs and learned from the property management that 'Under the Banyan Tree' had been in arrears with utility bills for several months."
“Bertelsmann returned to the negotiation table and the offer was changed from 10 million to 1 million. ‘Under the Banyan Tree’ had no choice but to accept it.”
From 10 million to 1 million in an instant, business negotiations are so ruthless, and they will poke holes in them whenever they see a weakness.
Fang Zhuo and Yu Hong both know that Yike will not sell to Apple, at least not while it currently occupies the advantage in the hardware market. Once Sony Music withstands this pressure today, I am afraid it will be able to get the desired price reduction.
Yike.
In that case, Yike could only follow behind and take a sip of soup.
Now, we immediately have greater initiative.
“Patience is really important.” Yu Hong has been involved in this matter, and now the review feels like walking on a tightrope.
Fang Zhuo shook his head slightly and concluded: "It's not so much that Stringer is not as patient as I am, but that the responsibilities he bears cannot allow him to miss the opportunity of digital music."
In the current music player market, only Yike and Apple are popular in the United States, and these two companies have invariably made forward-looking arrangements for the integration of software and hardware.
Sony Music can reject Apple, it can reject Yike, it can choose to wait for the transformation of its own player.
But when will we have to wait? Will it be too late by then?
If Sony Music sits back and watches Apple acquire Yike, it will definitely lose its bargaining power in the foreseeable future and can only become a humiliated concubine. If it backfires and sabotages Apple's acquisition, it still has a chance to compete for the big wife.
“No one knows Sony’s situation better than Stringer. It is precisely because he knows Sony so well that he would rather look for help from outside rather than trying to promote Sony’s strategic changes from within.”
“Stringer’s bottom line is too high, and my bottom line is too low. Without Sony Music, the worst I can do is go to Europe and return to China, and he will not lose unjustly.”
Fang Zhuo gave a self-evaluation.
Immediately, he noticed that Xiao Yu's eyes turned into smiles, and then he realized that he was speechless, and added: "It's because he has too little leeway, and I have more leeway than him."
Yu Hong just nodded deeply and agreed. The boss is right, the boss is right.
As the business car stopped and drove, the president and marketing director expressed a lot of emotion about the cooperation between Yike and Sony Music. This step of cooperation in music copyright is really not easy.
It is precisely because of this difficulty that it becomes even more precious and delicious.
Actually, why did Yike suffer this crime?
Is it because it has an ideal that benefits the American people?
When the product is dismantled, it is obvious that the parts are purchased from all over the world. Yike just wants the American people to buy cheap things. What is wrong with it!
“Xiao Yu, remember what happened during this period, remember the copyright owners’ blockade of us, remember our lawsuits.”
“We at Yike are a clean business, why should we be like this?”
Fang Zhuo said earnestly.
At this time, the mobile phone rang, and it was a call from the fund manager Kong Yu.
“Hey, hello, Mr. Fang, I’ll send you a few stocks that I have screened.” Kong Yu’s voice was loud and excited, “All the funding procedures have been completed! The gang members are really rich!”
Fang Zhuo said "hmm" twice and hung up the phone.
He suddenly felt that the quietness of this business car was a little too good.
Fang Zhuo put away his cell phone, looked into Yu Hong's eyes, and said firmly: "Yike is innocent."
“Well, when I sell my shares, I will definitely ask you for financial management.” Yu Hong said a word that she has often heard recently.
Fang Zhuo laughed twice, changed the topic, and started talking about the next work.
Yike and Sony Music have reached a consensus at the highest level, and the rest will be smoother.
Stringer should not play that kind of back-tracking trick.
Because, his intention was completely exposed by the phone call he made today. The calmness in front of Sony Music was just an appearance. In fact, it was intently targeting Yi Ke.
When strategic intentions are exposed, going back on one's word is just a trick and not a tactic.
In the second week of November, after experiencing bans, lawsuits, and frustration, Yike finally ushered in a period of happiness and quickly obtained the previously stuck conditions on the negotiation table.
Sony Music will obtain equity in the form of PreB round on the premise of Yike's valuation of US$300 million, and conduct in-depth cooperation on music copyright.
This involves the value conversion of the three-year music copyright license, the promotion of its artists, the profit sharing and integration of recording channels, etc.
Stringer is very courageous. Since he decided to cooperate, he will devote more resources to support the confrontation between Yike and Apple.
Soon, Yike and Sony Music reached an agreement on the main terms of cooperation, and the rest were detailed negotiations.
In the PreB round, Sony Music entered the stage and received a three-year music copyright license + US$5 million in cash in exchange for 10% of Yike’s shares.
As a result, Fang Zhuoyifang's shareholding was reduced to 44.1%, IDG America, IDG China, Capital Today, Shenxin Science and Technology, and Xiangjiang Huanyu held 16.2%, 9.9%, 6.57%, 5.76%, and 4.77% respectively, and the option pool was 2.7
%.
Next, in addition to continuing negotiations, Yike also needs to complete iMu private function development, restrictions on music format transcription, and encryption of digital music copyrights.
Among them, the most important one is to realize music purchase on the software.
This work requires constant debugging to ensure user payment security. Considering various conditions, it is estimated that it will not be online until next spring.
Apple does not yet know the progress, but judging from the information it has received, even if it is fast, it will not be much faster.
On November 15th, the business negotiations between Sony Music and Yike came to an end. Both parties are looking forward to the upcoming changes in the industry ecology caused by digital music.
“Xiao Yu, I will return to Shanghai this weekend at the latest.”
Fang Zhuo held consecutive meetings, interviewed several professional managers recommended by headhunters, and finally communicated with Yu Hong on the selection of candidates.
Professional managers in the United States must respect the opinions of the marketing director if they want to work with Yu Hong.
“Well, let’s see you at the end of the month. I can’t miss Zhou Xin’s wedding.” Yu Hong still felt a little hasty when she mentioned this.
"However, I have to do one more thing before I go back." Fang Zhuo sighed, "Sometimes I really feel that things are too complicated."
"What's the matter?" Yu Hong asked, and then tried to guess, "Anliang meeting?"
Fang Zhuo glanced at the marketing director in surprise. He almost didn't talk to Xiao Yu about this matter.
“I don’t think you have any good intentions towards them.” Yu Hong raised the corner of her mouth.
Fang Zhuo rubbed his face and felt that his image was a bit distorted, especially since he had just won a cooperation with Sony Music. Shouldn't he be a wise and powerful person?
“Anliang Chamber of Commerce still has great financial potential. In the next few years, not only will our country develop rapidly, but the United States will also develop rapidly. If Mi GA Fund can use Anliang Chamber of Commerce as a benchmark for investment and financial management, there will definitely be a siphon effect.”
“But we have to test whether these people realize who is making them money.”
Fang Zhuo shrugged: "So, I want to do a small test."
Yu Hong is waiting for the next chapter.
“I saw that the marketing department’s report last week mentioned a small incident. An employee was beaten by a black store manager while working,” Fang Zhuo said.
“Well, I was beaten for no apparent reason, but fortunately it was a minor injury, so we also called the police.” Yu Hong explained seriously when she heard that her work was involved.
"The racial discrimination here is very serious. There is no need for any special reason. Black people are easy to stick together. Let's leave it to the financial management group. If it works this time, remember to greet them next time if you encounter something."
Fang Zhuo said lightly.
“How will they deal with it?” Yu Hong asked.
Fang Zhuo spread his hands and said, "How would I know? I don't belong to a gang, so I'll just report my grievances directly."
Yu Hong stopped asking. What happened to the employees was really inexplicable. She didn’t make too much noise before considering that she was in a foreign country. She was waiting for the police to reply but didn’t wait for the following.
Soon, Fang Zhuo called Copper Wandou and told him with great indignation what had happened to his employees.
I originally wanted to talk about the interests of PL Fund, but Fan Xiong, a copper pea, took the matter very proactively, saying that Mr. Fang’s employees are all his brothers, and he must not let his brothers suffer.
Fang Zhuo did not show up, and directly let the client express his frustration, and asked him to follow the financial management group to see how to deal with it.
The financial management team is very efficient, and the parties will be able to clear their minds every day.
Fang Zhuo was quite satisfied with this, and before leaving, he called Li Xinyue from Anliang to express his gratitude to the Chamber of Commerce and praised them for being "yellow-skinned helping yellow-skinned" and very responsible.
Li Xinyue had no idea what was going on, so she accepted the thank you in confusion.
When she went to understand the situation, she realized that the brothers from the Chamber of Commerce had engaged in a large-scale conflict, which was somewhat contrary to Anliang's current pursuit of a positive image.
The eldest lady of the Li family had some disputes with Shuanghua Honggang, and she was especially dissatisfied with him for taking people out without permission.
Fang Zhuo didn’t know how they resolved their differences internally. He only knew that Fan Xiong, the copper pea, was very dissatisfied with his words when sending him to the airport.
The money was earned by the chamber of commerce, and the brothers didn’t care much about their lives. The Li family enjoyed spicy food, so the brothers made some soup to quench their thirst.
If this continues, will Anliang still be the same Anliang?
Fang Zhuo couldn't figure out the answer. After all, he was not proficient in political affairs. He just smiled and said to the copper pea when he entered the airport: "Brother Fan, I don't understand what you are talking about either."
“Anyway, I think Brother Fan is very loyal. If you have any shareholders’ meeting, I will definitely vote for you.”
Fang Zhuo said kindly: "When I watch movies, they talk about talking heads, and this is the Li family. They get more shares from my fund due to their status."
“What else is there? Their share of the share is higher?” Fan Xiong was surprised.
"After all, they represent the Anliang Society, I have to give them face." Fang Zhuo smiled slightly and patted Fan Xiong on the shoulder, "Let's go. I'll come back to New York next time. I hope Brother Fan can fulfill his duties as a landlord."
Fan Xiong silently watched the back of the CEO and his assistants leaving with an incomprehensible expression.
Let’s take a look at today’s chambers of commerce. Who is the safest one?
Transoceanic flights flew overhead, and President Yike came and went, but the impact he brought to the music industry and the financial management concepts he cultivated will yield more results.
This chapter has been completed!